1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates in general to a wellhead assembly for use in producing subterranean hydrocarbons. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a wellhead assembly having high and lower pressure wellhead housings with sockets whose respective outer surfaces are generally cylindrical.
2. Description of Prior Art
Subsea wells typically include outer low pressure housing welded onto a conductor pipe, where the conductor pipe is installed to a first depth in the well, usually by driving or jetting the conductor pipe. A drill bit inserts through the installed conductor pipe for drilling the well deeper to a second depth so that high pressure housing can land within the low pressure housing. The high pressure housing usually has a length of pipe welded onto its lower end that extends into the wellbore past a lower end of the conductor pipe. The well is then drilled to its ultimate depth and completed, where completion includes landing a casing string in the high pressure housing that lines the wellbore, cementing between the casing string and wellbore wall, and landing production tubing within the casing. The aforementioned concentrically stacked tubulars exert a load onto the lower pressure housing that is transferred along an interface between the high and low pressure housings. Moreover, tilting the stacked tubulars generates a bending moment along the interface.